Massaging device



March 31, 1949. MCMULLEN 1 254-62385 MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1/7770 m: yJ

arch 1949. RA. McMULLEN 2,462,985

MAS SAGING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- J? I 7 J2 5%;5. 2.

Patented Mar. 1, 1949 MASSAGING DEVICE Raymond A. McMullcn, Choteau, Mont., assignor of forty-five per cent to James W. McMullen,

Fargo, N. Dak.

Application September 27, 1946, Serial No. 699,926

1 Claim.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a device characterized by simplicity of construction, ease and inexpensiveness of manufacture, and reliability and durability in operation and use.

Still other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of one form of device embodying features of this inventive concept.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line fi--4 of Figure 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken through the plunger rod of one of the massage elements, looking upwardly toward the head thereof, and

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the motor support plate.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, the device is comprised of a main frame including oppositely disposed end plates ill, t which the interior mechanism is affixed in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, and side cover plates I I of arcuate configuration adapted to be secured to the end plates in any desired manner, as by means of screws l2 (see Figs. 1 and 3).

Secured between the end plates ill, at a point adjacent the lower extremity thereof, is a motor support plate is including upwardly extending flanges I4 adapted to be secured, as by means of 2. bolts IE, to the inner faces of the side plates. The plate i3 is provided, as best shown in Figure 3, in its lower face, with a channel of arcuate cross section adapted to conformably receive an electric motor it provided with a drive shaft 11. The motor is adapted to be secured in position in the channel, as by means of metal straps l8, or the like, the upper extremities of which terminate in flanges l9 adapted to be secured and tightened, as by a bolt 20 and nut 2! extending through suitable apertures in the flanges. Any suitable number of straps It may be utilized as may be necessary to secure the motor in place. The motor ll is connectible to a suitable source of current by a cord 25. The motor shaft ll extends through a suitable journal bearing 26, through an aperture in one of the end plates l0, and has mounted on its outer extremity a pulley 27 secured in position, as by a nut 28.

The pulley 27 is adapted to drive a belt 129, which engages and in turn drives a second pulley 30 secured, as by a nut 3|, on the outer end of a shaft 32, which extends through a suitable journal bearing 33 in the adjacent end plate Ill. The opposite end of the shaft 32 is suitably journaled in a journal bearing 34. Thus, it will be seen that upon energization of the motor ill, the shaft 32 is adapted to be rotated through the belt and pulley connection just described, for a purpose now to be more fully described.

Positioned at the upper extremity of the device is a supporting frame 45 comprised of two parallel members 4! and 42, and end plates 43, the assembly comprising a box-like structure, the end plates being secured between the end plates Ill, as by suitable bolts Ml. Aligned apertures in upper and lower members 4| and t2 serve as guides for movable plungers &5, the lower extremities of which terminate in heads 46, each of which is springbiased, as by a spring ll positioned between the head and the lower side of the member 42 into engagement with a subj acent cam on the shaft 32. As best shown in Figure 3, the cams 62 are positioned in circumferentially staggered relation in such manner that upon rotation of the shaft, the plungers 45 are extended and retracted progressively through the apertures in the frame 40.

The upper extremity of each plunger rod 45 is threaded, as indicated at 5B, and engages corresponding threads in a nut 5| inset in a cap member 52 preferably comprised of plastic, or, alternatively, of other materials, such as rubber or the like, the outer surface of which is rounded, as indicated at 53, to provide a massage device. From the foregoing it will be seen that there is herein provided an effective massaging device, wherein a plurality of massaging implements are adapted to be readily reciprocated successively against a sore muscle or the like, to afiord an effective kneading and massage thereof.

Obviously, the device may be driven at any desired speed by an appropriate control for the motor, and may correspondingly be made of any desired size and carry any required number of massage elements 52.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a device which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A massage device comprising a frame comprising a pair of end plates, upper and lower longitudinal members connected to and between and spacing said end plates, a cam shaft journalled in said end plates between said upper and lower members and having an end extending beyond one of said end plates, circumferentially staggered cams spaced longitudinally along said cam shaft,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 778,621 Adams-Randall Dec. 27, 1904 1,290,742 Hermansen Jan. 7, 1919 1,688,188 Jugo Oct. 16, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,487 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1908 5,370 Great Britain Mar. 3, 1911 

